28 January 2008

When I saw this months challenge for the Daring Bakers it was with mixed feelings. Lemon Meringue Pie is one of my all time favourite desserts...but making pie crust is always a source of great frustration for me. Being the Daring Baker that I am it gave me the opportunity to rise to the challenge...I may have been shaking in my new boots. Bring on the pie crust!!!

The Daring Bakers is the brainchild of our co-founders Lis at La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice . The group has over 400 members who are given a challenge each month and then we all blog about it on the same day. You are inundated with Lemon Meringue Pie recipes today from all over the world!! Really cool!!

A lemon meringue pie is in 3 parts.

1) The crust:

I used the food processor to make the pastry. These hands should never touch pastry.... that is written in stone..... perhaps on a stone tablet. I think it is even the 11th Commandment, "Thou shalt not touch pastry". The recipe for the crust called for everything to be as cold as possible. Despite my best efforts the pastry turned out crumbly for me, but, as a saving grace I was able to roll it out and patch it together as best as possible to try and create a nice finished edge.

2) Lemon Curd Filling:

I have made lemon curd before so this was not a problem for me.

3) Meringue:

I have never made a meringue. When I haven't done something before I head to the experts at the Daring Bakers and get the benefit of their experience and advice! People were talking about their meringue weeping, so, I decided to take one person's advice and add some cornstarch. To do this she had incorporated a food styling trick; adding a cornstarch mixture to the egg whites to stabilize the meringue. She stated, "It prevents the egg proteins from overcooking which causes shrinkage, beading or weeping in the meringue. Food stylists use this technique and have used it during photo shoots to produce beautiful pies." My meringue turned out beautifully so thank you Daring Baker!!

My biggest mistake in this month's Daring bakers Challenge was to make the pie on a Sunday. In doing this I couldn't take it to my Lemon Meringue Loving friends... so... I ended up eating it myself.

For the Crust: Make sure all ingredients are as cold as possible. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt. Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Allow the dough to warm slightly to room temperature if it is too hard to roll. On a lightly floured board (or countertop) roll the disk to a thickness of ⅛ inch (.3 cm). Cut a circle about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry into the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin. Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs over the plate about ½ inch (1.2 cm). Flute decoratively. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the crust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool completely before filling.

For the Filling: Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated.

Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick. Add about 1 cup (240 mL) of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined.

Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

For the Meringue: Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

Cool on a rack.

Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Val, you Lemon Meringue Pie looks exquisite. I was just telling the Leftover Queen how I was craving for something lemony last week and ended making a lemon roulade. I didn't know about the cornstarch as a stabilizer but you can use cream of tartar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_of_tartar

Great job~ I totally waited until the last minute and made them on a Sunday too but no one seems to mind cause the leftovers I brought into the ofice are all gone! Congrats on confronting the crust ;-)

Hey Val! I was waiting for your post!! Your pie looks just fantastic! I too wanted to add some cornflour to my meringue but I forgot as the new Kenwood beat it up to such a great stiffness! Now arent you glad you had the pie all to yourself??!!! :)

"My biggest mistake in this month's Daring bakers Challenge was to make the pie on a Sunday. In doing this I couldn't take it to my Lemon Meringue Loving friends... so... I ended up eating it myself."This hardly seems like a mistake!!!

I've seen so many meringue Pies... all Daring Bakers participants are posting theirs. I really admire you! Yours looks soooo good, Val, it must be a hard job... the I guess is worth the prize!!! Yummmy

Your pie is really lovely in appearance. Now about the never touching the pie crust, that's okay but I have a suggestion. When I make pie crust in the food processor I mix it just to a nice cornmeal looking crumbly mixture, and then I dump it out into a large mixing bowl, removing the blade and then I smush it together with my hands just until the mixture is one big mass. Now at this point what you could do is put plastic wrap between you and the crust. All that needs to happen is that it all sticks together. But the tricky part is next, you do need to have two smaller masses if making a two crust pie. So take the dough one crusts worth at a time, using the plastic wrap, and form a nice tidy disc all wrapped up in the plastic wrap, then place the disc in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 12 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.